CMS reported that more than two million Americans have signed up for coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces since February, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Maryland, Ohio, and Tennessee.

• Maryland: CMS reported last week that more than two million Americans enrolled in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since February, during the Biden administration's 2021 Special Enrollment Period. CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said new enrollees increased the number of people receiving ACA coverage to an all-time high, although final numbers are not available yet. As of February, 81 million people received coverage through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. In related news, HHS officials have launched an advertising campaign to increase sign-ups before the end of the special enrollment period, August 15, that targets in particular people who have not been able to afford or access coverage before. (Sanger-Katz, New York Times, 7/14; Wilson Pecci, HealthLeaders, 7/14; Fernandez, Axios, 7/15)

• Ohio: Christ Hospital Physicians, the fifth-largest physician group in Cincinnati, announced last week Jennifer Barry as the organization's new COO, effective immediately. She replaces Tom Stieritz, who left in December to be COO at CVP Physicians. Most recently, Barry was VP and chief administrative officer for ambulatory services at University of Cincinnati Medical Center and previously held leadership roles at Bon Secours Medical Group, UK Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic. (Engel, Cincinnati Business Courier, 7/15)

• Tennessee: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will require all employees, as well as employees of the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities—which fundraises for and shares a campus with the hospital—to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by September 9. According to WREG, James Downing, St Jude's president and CEO, said in a letter to employees that those who are not vaccinated or have not received an exemption will be placed on two weeks of unpaid leave. (Williams, The Hill, 7/15; WREG, 7/14)